Victory Speech and more

Victory Speech and more

<"victory">Victory Speech

Broadcast from Moscow at 20.00 hours (Moscow time) on May 9, 1945

Comrades! Men and women compatriots!

The great day of victory over Germany has come. Fascist Germany, forced to her knees by the Red Army and the troops of our Allies, has acknowledged herself defeated and declared unconditional surrender.

On May 7 the preliminary protocol on surrender was signed in the city of Rheims. On May 8 representatives of the German High Command, in the presence of representatives of the Supreme Command of the Allied troops and the Supreme Command of the Soviet Troops, signed in Berlin the final act of surrender, the execution of which began at 24.00 hours on May 8.

Being aware of the wolfish habits of the German ringleaders, who regard treaties and agreements as empty scraps of paper, we have no reason to trust their words. However, this morning, in pursuance of the act of surrender, the German troops began to lay down their arms and surrender to our troops en masse. This is no longer an empty scrap of paper. This is actual surrender of Germany’s armed forces. True, one group of German troops in the area of Czechoslovakia is still evading surrender. But I trust that the Red Army will be able to bring it to its senses.

Now we can state with full justification that the historic day of the final defeat of Germany, the day of the great victory of our people over German imperialism has come.

The great sacrifices we made in the name of the freedom and independence of our Motherland, the incalculable privations and sufferings experienced by our people in the course of the war, the intense work in the rear and at the front, placed on the altar of the Motherland, have not been in vain, and have been crowned by complete victory over the enemy. The age-long struggle of the Slav peoples for their existence and their independence has ended in victory over the German invaders and German tyranny.

Henceforth the great banner of the freedom of the peoples and peace among peoples will fly over Europe.

Three years ago Hitler declared for all to hear that his aims included the dismemberment of the Soviet Union and the wresting from it of the Caucasus, the Ukraine, Byelorussia, the Baltic lands and other areas. He declared bluntly: “We will destroy Russia so that she will never be able to rise again.” This was three years ago. However, Hitler’s crazy ideas were not fated to come true—the progress of the war scattered them to the winds. In actual fact the direct opposite of the Hitlerites’ ravings has taken place. Germany is utterly defeated. The German troops are surrendering. The Soviet Union is celebrating Victory, although it does not intend either to dismember or to destroy Germany.

Comrades! The Great Patriotic War has ended in our complete victory. The period of war in Europe is over. The period of peaceful development has begun.

I congratulate you upon victory, my dear men and women compatriots!

Glory to our heroic Red Army, which upheld the independence of our Motherland and won victory over the enemy!

Glory to our great people, the people victorious!

Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the struggle against the enemy and gave their lives for the freedom and happiness of our people!

("Stalin's War Speeches, etc." p. 135)

<"Letter_to_the_Austrian_Chancellor_K.">Letter to the Austrian Chancellor K. Renner

May, 1945

To His Excellency, Mr. K. Renner,

Thank you very much, Comrade, for your letter of April 15. Do not doubt that your worries about the independence,security and progress of Austria are also my worries.

I am prepared to give any help that is necessary for Austria.

Please excuse my delayed answer.

J. Stalin

("New Germany", No. 205, 2 September, 1945)

<"ReplyPoland">Reply to “The Times” Moscow Correspondent’s Question Concerning the 16 Arrested Polish Diversionists

Letter from Mr. Ralph Parker, The Times correspondent in Moscow, to the Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the U.S.S.R., J. V. Stalin

The foreign Press has printed a report that several Poles who, according to the recent Tass statement, had been arrested on the charge of the organization and carrying out of diversionist actions in the rear of the Red Army, in reality were members of a delegation invited to conduct negotiations with the Soviet authorities. It has also been reported that this group of Poles includes democratic leaders whose opinion on the formation of the future Polish Government would have made a valuable contribution to the formation of such a Government. It has also been reported that by the arrest of these Poles the Soviet Government undermines confidence in the measures adopted in the Crimea, and hinders the formation of a new Polish Provisional Government.

Would you care to make a statement on this question in order to clarify public opinion, which is interested in this question?

Yours respectfully,
Ralph Parker

Moscow, May 11, 1945

J. V. Stalin addressed the following reply to Mr. Parker

I have somewhat delayed my answer, but this is understandable if one keeps in mind how busy I am.

1. The arrest of the sixteen Poles in Poland headed by the well-known diversionist General Okulicki has no connection with the question of the reconstruction of the Polish Provisional Government. These “gentlemen” were arrested in accordance with the law protecting the Red Army rear from diversionists—a law similar to the British Defence of the Realm Act. The arrests were carried out by Soviet military authorities in accordance with an agreement concluded between the Polish Provisional Government and the Soviet Military Command.

2. It is untrue that the arrested Poles were invited for negotiations with the Soviet authorities. The Soviet authorities do not and will not conduct negotiations with those who break the law on the protection of the Red Army rear.

3. As far as the question of the reorganization of the Polish Provisional Government itself is concerned, it can only be solved on the basis of the Crimea decisions, because no deviation from these decisions can be permitted.

4. I think the Polish question can be solved by agreement between the Allies only if the following elementary conditions are observed:

a) If in the reconstruction of the Polish Provisional Government the latter is recognized as the basic core of the future Polish Government of National Unity, similar to the case of Yugoslavia, where the National Liberation Committee was recognized as the basic core of the United Yugoslav Government;

b) If as a result of the reconstruction a Government is created in Poland which will pursue a policy of friendship with the Soviet Union, and not the policy of the “cordon sanitaire” against the Soviet Union;

c) If the question of the reconstruction of the Polish Govel’hment is resolved together with the Poles who now have ties with the Polish people, and not without them.

Yours respectfully,
J. Stalin

Moscow, May 18, 1945

("Stalin's War Speeches, etc." p. 137)

<"Toast">Toast to the Russian People at a Reception in Honour of the Red Army Commanders Given by the Soviet Government in the Kremlin

Thursday, May 24, 1945

Comrades! Permit me to propose one more, last toast.

I should like to propose a toast to the health of our Soviet people, and in the first place the Russian people. (Loud and prolonged applause and shouts of "Hurrah.")

I drink in the first place to the health of the Russian people because it is the most outstanding nation of all the nations forming the Soviet Union.

I propose a toast to the health of the Russian people because it has won in this war universal recognition as the leading force of the Soviet Union among all the peoples of our country.

I propose a toast to the health of the Russian people not only because it is the leading people, but also because it possesses a clear mind, a staunch character and patience.

Our Government made not a few errors, we experienced at moments a desperate situation in 1941-1942, when our 'Army was retreating, abandoning our own villages and towns of the Ukraine, Byelorussia, Moldavia, the Leningrad region, the Baltic area and the Karelo-Finnish Republic, abandoning them because there was no other way out. A different people could have said to the Government "You have failed to justify our expectations. Go away. We shall install another Government which will conclude peace with Germany and assure us a quiet life." The Russian people, however, did not take this path because it trusted the correctness of the policy of its Government, and it made sacrifices to ensure the rout of Germany. This confidence of the Russian people in the Soviet Government proved to be that decisive force which ensured the historic victory over the enemy of humanity – over fascism.

Thanks to it, the Russian people, for this confidence!

To the health of the Russian people! (Loud and prolonged applause.)

("Stalin's War Speeches, etc." p. 138)

<"Letter_to_General_de_Gaulle">Letter to General de Gaulle

June, 1945

The French regiment, Normandie-Niemen, returns to its country equipped, that is to say, with its aeroplanes fully equipped, and for its itinerary will follow the Elbe in a westerly direction.

I thought it essential to bestow on the regiment the materials which it has courageously utilized, and with much success, on the oriental front. May these materials be a modest present from the Soviet Union aviation to France, and the symbol of the friendship between our two peoples.

I beg you to accept my thanks for the work that this regiment has done on the front in the battle against the German armies.

J. Stalin

("Soviet News," No. 46, Paris. June 1945)

<"To_the_Editorial_Staff_of_the_Paper">To the Editorial Staff of the Paper "Pionerskaya Pravda"

June, 1945

1 warmly congratulate the editorial staff, the young correspondents and the readers of the paper for the twenty years of the "Pionerskaya Pravda".

The "Pionerskaya Pravda" helps Soviet children to acquire knowledge, it educates pioneers and school-children in the spiritual precepts of our great educator, Lenin.

I wish "Pionerskaya Pravda" further success in the education of young Leninists in a devoted spirit towards our Motherland.

J. Stalin

("Pravda", 10 June, 1945)

<"To_the_Artillery_Factory_in_the_Urals">To the Artillery Factory in the Urals

June, 1945

I congratulate you, the collective of men and women workers, technical engineering workers and employees at the Artillery Factory in the Urals, for the great victory in production: the exportation of 30,000 canon; and for this the factory is awarded the Order of the Patriotic War - First Degree.

Thanks to the courageous spirit of innovation and to the putting into effect of an advanced technique of mechanical construction in the production of artillery, the Artillery Factory, “founded in the days of the Patriotic War, has become the chief base for the exportation of artillery armaments far more powerful and elaborate, surpassing the enemy’s technique, with which ‘ our valiant Red Army has ensured the complete victory against fascist Germany.

I wish you in the future, during the period of peaceful construction, further success in the cause of the exportation of artillery armaments and equipment for the coal-mining and oil industries of our country.

J. Stalin

("Pravda", 22 June, 1945)

<"Order_of_the_Day_No._370_June_22_1945">Order of the Day, No. 370, June 22, 1945

To commemorate the victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War, I order a parade of troops of the Army in the Field, of the Navy and of the Moscow Garrison – a Victory Parade – to be held in the Red Square in Moscow on June 24, 1945.

The following units are to take part in the parade: combined regiments of the fronts, a combined regiment of the People’s Commissariat for Defence, a combined regiment of the Navy, the military academies, military schools and troops of the Moscow Garrison.

The Victory Parade is to be taken by my Deputy, Marshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov.

Marshal of the Soviet Union Rokossovsky will command the Parade.

I entrust the general direction of the organization of the Parade to the Commander of the troops of the Moscow Military Area and Commander of the Moscow Garrison, Col.-Gen. Artemyev.

J. Stalin
Supreme Commander-in-Chief
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Moscow

<"Speech_at_a_Reception_in_the_Kremlin">Speech at a Reception in the Kremlin

June 25, 1945

Do not imagine that I am going to tell you anything extraordinary. The toast that I wish to raise is as simple as it is informal. I would like to drink to the health of those on the lower echelons whose conditions are little envied, to those who are considered as the “screws” of the immense machine of the government but without whom, all of us marshals or commanding officers of the fronts or armies wouldn’t be worth, if I may so express it, a jot. Because it requires only for one screw to disappear and all is finished, r drink to the health of simple folk, ordinary and modest, the “screws” which ensure the functioning of our enormous state machine in all its aspects: science, economy, war. They are numerous and their name is legion because they comprise dozens of millions. These are modest people, no-one writes about them,their situation is mediocre and their status is low, but these people support us as the base supports the summit. I drink to the health of these people, our most respected comrades.

J. Stalin

("Pravda", 27 June, 1945)

<"Order_of_the_Day_No._371_July_22_1945">Order of the Day, No. 371, July 22, 1945

Issued by Marshal Stalin and addressed to the troops of the Red Army and the Red Navy

During the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet people against fascist Germany, our Red Navy has been a faithful helper of the Red Army.

In the war against the U.S.S.R.,fascist Germany, relying on the suddenness of their attack and the strength of their well practised army, tried to beat our army and our navy in a shorter time. lt was by combining her army with her air-force and her navy, that Germany wanted to realise her domination over the seas.

It is well known that the strategy of the Germans on land and at sea went hopelessly wrong. The Red Army, together with our Allies, routed the Hitlerites and forced them to capitulate.

In both the defensive and offensive fighting of our Red Army, our Navy was a dependable cover for the flanks of our Red Army pushing through to the sea,blocking the enemy’s merchant shipping and strategically important navigation routes, securing the uninterrupted functioning of our lines of communication. The fighting action of the Soviet Navy is illustrated through its self-sacrificing steadfastness and valour, its intense combat activity and military skill. The submarine men, the sailors, the naval airmen, artillerymen and infantry have taken over and further developed everything that was so valuable in the hun~ dreds of years of tradition of the Russian Navy.

The Soviet sailors have in the four years of war, on the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the Barents Sea, on the Voly, , the Danube a’nd the Dnieper, added new pages to the glorious history of the Russian Navy. The Navy has more than fulfilled its duty to the Soviet Motherland.

Comrades sailors, commanders and officers!

The Soviet people want to see their Navy even stronger and more powerful.Our people will produce more warships and bases for the Navy. The task of the Navy is to educate inexperienced marine cadres, to perfect them, to help them to make the fighting experience of the Patriotic War, and maritime, their own, and to increase even more the discipline and organization within their ranks.

I congratulate you on this Day of the Red Navy of the U.S.S.R.

Long live the Red Navy of the U.S.S.R. and its heroic men.

J. Stalin
Supreme Commander-in-Chief
Marshal of the Soviet Union

("On the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union," German Edition)

<"To_the_Prime_Minister_of_Mongolia_">To the Prime Minister of Mongolia

August, 1945

I thank you with all my heart for your congratulations upon our total victory over the Japanese aggressors and in turn, I congratulate you on the victory.

The Soviet Government acknowledges with gratitude that the People's Revolutionary Army of Mongolia, fighting side by side with the Red Army, has brought an invaluable contribution to the communal cause of the defeat of Japanese imperialism.

1 am sure that in the future the Soviet Union and the Peopl's Revolutionary Army of independent Mongolia will also go forward hand in hand to the struggle against the enemies of our countries, for the well-being of our peoples.

J. Stalin

("Pravda," 29 August, 1945)

<"To_Chiang_Kai_Shek">To Chiang Kai Shek

August 18, 1945

Thank you for your greetings and for the important support you gave the Soviet Union regarding the defeat of the Japanese aggressors. The surrender of Japan together with Germany has terminated the second World War, and proves that humanity is indebted to the close military co-operation of the Allies for the defeat of the . aggressors in the West and in the East. This victory is of historic and global significance in as much as it is a great, enlightened forward step in the progressive development of humanity.

I express the conviction that the friendship and co-operation of our countries with all freedom-loving nations will serve the cause of universal peace and the prosperity of all peoples.

J. Stalin

("Pravda," 19 August, 1945)

<"Order_of_the_Day_No._51_August_191945">Order of the Day, No. 51, August 19,1945

In the Great War of the Soviet Motherland against fascist Germany, our airforce fulfilled their task with pride.

The mighty falcon of our Motherland smashed the famous German airforce in a bitter battle in the skies, through which the action of the Red Army liberated the entire population from the (air) bombardments of the enemy.

Together with the entire Red Army, they led a deadly fight against the enemy and smashed its soldiers and its great war machines. The finely detailed operations of our heroic airforce helped the land army continuously in their successes, all of which led to the final capitulation of the enemy.

The Soviet pilots played no small part in the struggle for the liberation and independence of our Motherland. With their single-mindedness and extraordinary determination, they were courageous heroes. They have written more glorious pages in the history of our Motherland.

The victorious Soviet people are justly proud of the struggle they put up.

In the course of the war, it is thanks to the ceaseless efforts of the workers, both men and women, the engineers, the research and talents of all who worked on the construction of the aeroplanes in the Soviet Union, that made it possible for our airforce to organize,with thousands of excellent fighter planes, I he smashing of our enemy.

Comrade pilots, navigation officers and ground workers, radio and motor, weapon maintainors, mechanics, technicians and engineers,officers and generals, workers, administration and construction, in the aeroplane industry!

1 greet you and congratulate you on this celebration day of the airforce! To celebrate this day of the airforce, and to honour our brave pilots, I order:

Today, August 19, at 20.00 hours, in the capital city of our Motherland, in Moscow, in the name of our homeland, our heroic airforce shall be saluted with 20 artillery shots from 224 canons.

J. Stalin

("On the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union," German Edition)

<"To_Chiang_Kai_Shekb">To Chiang Kai Shek

August 31, 1945

Thank you for your congratulations on the occasion of the ratification of the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance as well as the agreements between China and the U.S.S.R., signed on August 14.

I am sure that this Treaty and the agreements will provide a solid base for an ultimate development of friendly relations between the U.S.S.R. and China for the well-being and prosperity of our peoples and the reinforcement of peace and security in the Far East and in the whole world.

I beg you, Mr. President,to accept my congratulations on the occasion of the confirmation of these historical documents.

J. Stalin

("Pravda," 31 August, 1945)

<"StalinsAddress">Stalin's Address to the People

September 2, 1945

Comrades! Fellow countrymen and countrywomen!

Today, September 2, political and military representatives of Japan signed an act of unconditional surrender. Utterly defeated on sea and land, and completely surrounded by the armed forces of the United Nations, Japan has admitted defeat and has laid down her arms.

Two hotbeds of world fascism and world aggression had been formed on the eve of the present World War: Germany in the West and Japan in the East. It was they who unleashed the Second World War. It was they who brought mankind and civilization to the brink of doom. The hotbed of world aggression in the West was destroyed four months ago and, as a result, Uermany was forced to capitulate. Four months later the hotbed of aggression in the East was destroyed and as a res1', Japan, Germany's principal ally, was also compelled to sign an act of capitulation.

This signifies the end of the Second World War.

Now we can say that the conditions necessary for peace all over the world have been gained.

It must be observed that the Japanese aggressors inflicted damage not only on our Allies - China, the U.S.A. and Great Britain. They also inflicted extremely grave damage on our country. That is why we have a seperate account to settle with Japan.

Japan commenced her aggression against our country as far back as 1904,during the Russo -Japanese War. As we know, in February 1904, when negotiations between Japan and Russia were still proceeding, Japan, taking advantage of the weakness of the tsarist government, suddenly and perfidiously, without declaring war, fell upon our country and attacked the Russian fleet in the region of Port Arthur with the object of putting a number of Russian warships out of action and thereby creating an advantageous position for her fleet. She did, indeed, put out of action three Russian first-class warships. It is characteristic that 37 years later Japan played exactly the same perfidious trick against the United States when, in 1941, she attacked the United States naval base in Pearl Harbour and put a number of American battleships out of action. As we know, in the war against Japan, Russia was defeated. Japan took advantage of the defeat of tsarist Russia to seize from Russia the southern part of Sakhalin and establish herself on the Kuril Islands, thereby putting the lock on all our country's outlets to the ocean in the East, which meant also all outlets to the ports of Sovfet Kamchatka and Soviet Chukotka. It was obvious that Japan was aiming to deprive Russia of the whole of her Far East.

But this does not exhaust the list of Japan's aggressive operations against our country. In 1918, after the Soviet system was established in our country, Japan, taking advantage of the hostility then displayed towards the Land of the Soviets by Great Britain, France and the United States, and leaning upon them, again attacked our country, occupied the Far East and for four years tormented our people and looted the Soviet Far East.

Nor is this all. In 1938 Japan attacked our country again, in the region of Lake Hasan, near Vladivostok, with the object of surrounding Vladivostok; and in the following year Japan repeated her attack in another place, in the region of the Mongolian People's Republic, near Khalkin-gol, with the object of breaking into Soviet territory, severing our Siberian Railway and cutting off the Far East from Russia.

True, Japan's attacks in the regions of Hasan and Khalkin-gol were liquidated by the Soviet troops, to the extreme humiliation of the Japanese. Japanese military intervention in 1918-1922 was liquidated with equal success and Japanese invaders were expelled from our Far Eastern regions. But the defeat of the Russian troops in 1904 during the Russo-Japanese War left bitter memories in the minds of our people. It lay like a black stain on our country. Our people believed in and waited for the day when Japan would be defeated and the stain would be wiped out. We of the older generation waited for this day for forty years, and now this day has arrived. Today Japan admitted defeat and signed an act of unconditional surrender.

This means that the southern part of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands revert to the Soviet Union and henceforth will serve not as a barrier between the Soviet Union and the ocean and as a base for Japanese attack upon our Far East but as a direct means of communication between the Soviet Union and the ocean and a base for the defence of our country against Japanese aggression.

Our Soviet people spared neither strength nor labour for the sake of victory.We experienced extremely hard years. But now everyone of us can say: We have won. Henceforth we can regard our country as being free from the menace of German invasion in the West and of Japanese invasion in the East. The long awaited peace for the peoples of all the world has come.

I congratulate you, my dear fellow countrymen and country-women, on this great victory, on the successful termination of the war, and on- the ushering in of peace all over the world!

Glory to the armed forces of the Soviet Union, the United States of America, China and Great Britain which achieved victory over Japan!

Glory to our Far Eastern troops and our Pacific Fleet, which upheld the honour and dignity of our country!

Glory to our great people, the victorious people!

Eternal glory to the heroes who fell fighting for the honour and victory of our country! May our country flourish and prosper!

("Soviet Calendar 1917 - 1947")

<"Order_of_the_Day_No._373_September_3">Order of the Day, No. 373, September 3, 1945

On September 2, 1945, in Tokyo, representatives of Japan signed the document of unconditional surrender of the Japanese forces.

The war which the Soviet people together with our allies made against the last aggressor - Japanese imperialism - has ended victoriously. Japan is defeated and has surrendered.

Comrades of the Red Army, sailors of the Red Navy, Sergeants (First Mates), Officers of the Army and the Navy, General, Admirals and Marshals, I congratulate you on the victorious conclusion of the war against Japan.

In appreciation of the victory over Japan, the whole of the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, will today, September 3,the day of the vie tory over Japan, salute at 21.00 hours, in the name of our country, the glorious troops of the Red Army,the ships and formations of the Navy, which have achieved this victory, with 24 artillery salvoes from 324 canons.

To the eternal glory of the heroes who fell in the battle for the honour and victory of our homeland!

To the life and progress of our Red Army and our Navy.

J. Stalin

("On the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union," German Edition)